EPQ at Warwick School

Alexander the Great, genome editing, carbon sequestration, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, asteroid mining.... This eclectic list of subjects reflects the variety of research projects by Warwick School Year 12 students this year.

Warwick School has offered the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) since its inception 10 years ago. Having begun with an experimental group of eight pupils, the school now regularly submits around 80 candidates’ work for examination each year.

The benefit to pupils has been demonstrated by recent research by AQA which shows that there is a measurable improvement across almost all A Level subjects for candidates who have completed an EPQ. Warwick School, as quoted by AQA, has been named a ‘model of good practice in managing large cohorts’ and a good number of top universities will give a reduced alternative offer of a place for candidates with A* or A grade in EPQ (for example an offer of AAA may be reduced to AAB EPQ A* or A). Over the last five years, an average of 51% of Warwick School students were awarded an A* grade (mark: 90%) whilst a further 27% achieved an A grade (mark: 80%).

Revd Martin Hewitt, EPQ coordinator at Warwick School commented, “EPQ gives our pupils the opportunity to research a topic of choice. They are not restricted to subject specifications or a teacher’s plan, they choose any subject that interests them and they are taught the skills of independent research. They learn how to learn for themselves and the grade that they receive is based primarily on success in the learning process rather than the content of the learning.

“Last Friday was the culmination of the 2017 cohort’s work. A presentation of subjects in a market place event that filled Warwick Hall. Each candidate displaying the breadth and depth of learning achieved through EPQ. This is when many of our pupils discover the true love of learning for its own sake.”